


and he doesn't mind having a soulmate after all

by farseandfolly



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, everybody loves makoharu fluff, makoharu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 21:23:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7070908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/farseandfolly/pseuds/farseandfolly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'He wondered if there was really a glass bowl with all the names of everyone in the world inside, like his father told him, and The Big Guy Up There placed his hand in after the count of three and chose two names, hereby binding them in soul - ly matrimony forever and ever.' </p><p>AU in which the date when you were to meet your soulmate was engraved in your skin since birth (as well as a matching symbol). </p><p>(also Haru's lowkey a cheeseball oops)</p>
            </blockquote>





	and he doesn't mind having a soulmate after all

Haru didn't want a Soulmate.

He didn't like, no he _despised_ , the idea of being so closely bonded to someone, as though they were tied together by a strong invisible string that could never be popped or destroyed, as though they were held together by the sheer force of the Universe.  

Which in fact, they were. 

The Marks made sure of that. 

So when Mrs. Nanase found Haruka sitting in the tub for the _third goddamn time_ , trying to scrape the disgusting date off his skin, the nasty, bold, black lettering of **04/09/2001** and the little wave inked neatly on his forearm, and to rid himself of his unknown bond to a  _stranger_ forever, she declared all sharp objects (including zippers and steel sponges) banned in the Nanase household before sending a frustrated, five year old Haru to his room. 

And as Haru sat on his blue sheets and stared at the Mark on his forearm, which was practically _shouting_ at Haruka against the angry red backdrop of his skin, taunting him with it's bold letters and neatly scripted font, he began to feel suffocated. The tears flowed fast, snaking their way down his cheeks and dripping off his chin, splotching and stinging the red and irritated bruise that was beginning to form behind his cursed inking. It was as if a gnarled hand had taken his lungs and was squeezing them, slowly diminishing the young boy's supply of breath.

He didn't care, but he cared so much at the same time. 

What if his soulmate was someone he hated? What if, gods forbid, it was his  _teacher_? Or the perverted man at the market?

What if he put all his trust in his soulmate and it wasn't returned? What if he put all his trust in his soulmate and they _betrayed him_? What would he do then? 

He didn't know why the Mark made him feel the twisted way it did. It wasn't as if it was alien or unnatural, everyone had it. It was considered to hold almost as much significance as a vital organ, which, in fact, it did.

To some people. 

But to Haru, it was a curse. It was like a small, barred prison with no key, a date which determined his future, a date which he had absolutely no control over.

Absolutely no control.

It was unlike his swimming, unlike deciding what he wanted for dinner, unlike deciding what clothes to wear or whether he wanted his mackerel fried or oven baked. 

And to Haru, this was the scariest thing of all.  

**~0~**

 

It was the morning of September 4th, 2001 when Haruka's fate was to be decided for the rest of his life. 

It was a seemingly normal day; Haruka's mother woke him up at 6:00 exactly, no later, for breakfast, which was leftover mackerel stirfry and rice. He was finished breakfast by 6:15 and was out of the bath by 6:45, after many complaints about stalling from his father, who was watching the water bill almost as closely as his weight. Haru was out of the house by seven, after a kiss from his mother and a whisper of: " _Good luck, we love you,"_ and _"Smile! This is exciting!"_ to which Haru nearly scoffed. 

The walk to the train station was the longest walk of his life. Haru didn't focus on the crisp, warm summer air as he usually did, nor did he concentrate on the feeling of nausea that was building deep within his tiny gut. He was too busy anxiously waiting for the double pulse that would indicate that he was finally rid of his cursed Mark and subjected to his infinite bonding.

He wondered if there was really a glass bowl with all the names of everyone in the world inside, like his father told him, and ' _The Big Guy Up There places his hand in after the count of three and chose two names, hereby binding them in soul - ly matrimony forever and ever_ '. 

He sincerely hoped Big Guy Up There didn't happen to pull  _Haruka Nanase_ with  _Creepy Guy at the Market Who Always Tries To Sell Me Melons_ , because then there'd be a pretty decently sized issue at hand. 

He preferred his grandma's version of the story, remembering it being spoken to him in a hushed, awe - filled tone whenever he was caught staring at his Mark at the table, and using her favourite quote: 

_'We know from science that the nothing in the Universe exists in an isolated or independent entity, Haruka. This is the Universe's way of making sure we are not lost, that there is always somebody there. Don't worry, the Universe is smart. It will pick wisely,'_

**~0~**

Despite it being Haruka's second day at school, it was easy to navigate the hallways until he found his own classroom, the bright poster with the apple and the purple reading book smiling at everyone who came to the door. Haru reached up to the silver doorknob and slowly turned it, the sounds of excited squeals immediately filling his ears, his wide blue eyes trying in vain to desperately focus on one colour in the frantic blur. 

Pinks, reds, blues, oranges, green. 

Green. 

 _Green_. 

It was a green unlike any green Haru had ever seen before. Bright and calming, like the sunlight filtering through the trees, instantly replacing his deep-set nausea with a warmth that was so sincere he wanted to collapse into it's embrace. 

In that split second, it was almost as if green had suddenly become his absolute favourite colour, and the boy who those breathtaking pair of eyes belonged to, that he was currently staring at from across the room, had become his ultimate safe haven, his favourite person.

Without warning, Haruka Nanase's forearm began to pulse.

And given his wide eyed expression and the hasty glance at his arm, Makoto Tachibana's did too. 

**~0~**

It was dark when Haru awoke, his bright blue eyes groggily adjusting to his surroundings, the moonlight beaming through his open window and directly onto his bed, highlighting the tangle of legs beneath the sheets. His Markless arm was lazily resting over the sleeping body next to him, breathing softly into the hard curves of his muscular back that were visible beneath the thin cotton shirt. 

As quietly as possible, Haru removed his arm from it's position slung over the figure and sat up and stretched, before slowly, and quietly, making his to the other side of the bed so he was facing the sleeping boy. 

And fuck, Haru swore Makoto Tachibana was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his entire life. 

Haru traced Makoto's well structured face with his eyes, running his gaze over the sharp curve of his jaw, his eyes fluttered shut, the ruffled hair that was falling into his face and touching the bridge of his nose. His soft lips that were open slightly, and his slightly tanned skin from daily swim practice after school. He'd changed so much from when they'd first met at kindergarten, when their Marks disappeared, but at the same, he really hadn't changed at all. 

And it was times like this when Haru's emotions barrelled into his chest with the weight of a freight train, knocking the breath straight from his lungs because Haru loved Makoto so much that just telling him would barely scratch the surface, and he couldn't even begin to fathom a life without the boy sleeping in front of him. 

And Haru was so thankful for Makoto and _crap_ , the emotions were hitting him so hard as he frantically tried to swallow the lump that was steadily rising in his throat, and if this was what a sleeping Makoto did to him, then he must truly be as weak as Rin says he is. 

It was if the freight train had finally knocked him down completely, and he reached his fingers up to Makoto's face, brushing the stray hairs from the bridge of his nose lightly before planting a firm kiss on his cheek. 

And Haru could've sworn fireworks exploded in his chest when Makoto sleepily opened his eyes, the bright green peeking through his eyelids and a sleepy grin appearing on his face. It was almost impossible for him not to press another kiss to his lips, their lips fitting together like a puzzle piece. 

"Hey," Makoto grins, his voice a raspy, breathless whisper in the silent room, pressing his forehead against Haru's, his olive-brown hair against Haru's black, green eyes staring into blue. 

"Hey," 

And it is then, in between light kisses and soft grins, that Haru realizes that he doesn't mind having a Soulmate after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> I know they're several Soulmate AU's out there, but I tried to make this one a concept that was completely my own (with the date and the symbol and everything, I don't know if that's been done yet.)  
> Anyway,  
> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!  
> Any comments/feedback would be greatly appreciated !


End file.
